Over the past century, Rioja has experienced many standout vintages that have garnered high praise from wine critics and connoisseurs. Some of these vintages are considered legendary, particularly for their combination of ideal weather conditions, outstanding grape quality, and resulting wine longevity. Below is a ranked list of the highest-rated Rioja vintages of the last 50 years, along with some exceptional vintages from the past 100 years that have become benchmarks for quality and ageability.
Highest Rated Rioja Vintages of the Last 50 Years (1970–2023)
This ranking is based on overall critical consensus, balance of the wines, ageing potential, and the consistency of quality across the region.
1. 2001 – Legendary
La Rioja Alta's 890 is their top wine with around 15,000 bottles made on the rare occasion this wine is produced. At 2-3 times the price of the 904 you'll have to be a very serious Rioja fan to try this legendary 2001 vintage.
"2001 is a great vintage for all the wines from La Rioja Alta but the long-awaited Gran Reserva 890 is otherworldly..."
There have been so many brilliant wines from this year and I've had quite a few of them. An experience to be repeated over and over, given the chance. Try anything you can find from this great year.
The 2001 vintage is considered one of the greatest Rioja vintages of all time. Ideal weather conditions allowed for perfect ripeness, balance, and structure, making wines from this year exceptionally age-worthy. Gran Reserva wines from 2001 have deep complexity, with layers of fruit, spice, and well-integrated tannins. This vintage is known for its longevity and is still drinking beautifully today.
- Wine Characteristics: Rich, concentrated, with excellent acidity and tannin structure. Complex aromas of dark fruits, leather, and tobacco.
- Producers to look for: López de Heredia Viña Tondonia, La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904, CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva.
2. 2010 – Exceptional
Very few bodegas make this style of Rioja. The Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Gran Reserva Rosado is as far from your average Californian "White Zin" rosé as it's possible to get. For a start. it's completely dry, and it'll set you back a cool £150 a bottle. The bodega epitomises timeless, artisan winemaking, and they aren't swayed by changing customer preferences. They make Tondonia wines, so don't try and change anything because they won't listen to you. 2010 was one of the greatest vintages for their rosado and this year's cuvée blends 60% Garnacho with 30%Tempranillo and 10% (white) Viura. The vines average over 90 years of age and the juice is fermented in one of their original wooden vats before ageing for a further four years in old American oak barrels stored in their, deep, labyrinthine cellars. But what do you get for your money?
"There is tons of complexity and nuance here; it's super elegant and layered, and as the wine sat in the glass, it developed more and more complex aromas, a subtle combination of balsam, red acid berries, a hint of medicine, fennel and wet chalk, a diesel-like touch, old wood and mushroom (beetroot?), licorice and yellow flowers, sweet spices... There's a lot more of everything. It's clean and crystalline, fresh and long, with terrific balance and depth. This has to be the finest rosado of recent times" 96/100 points, Wine Advocate (2020)
It's recommended by the winery to drink with hot, spicy Indian food. Vindaloo and rosado Rioja. Who'd have thought?
The 2010 vintage is another standout, hailed for its combination of richness, structure, and ageing potential. Cooler temperatures during the growing season allowed for balanced acidity and elegant wines that are expected to age beautifully for decades.
- Wine Characteristics: Freshness, elegant tannins, and great concentration. Aromas of blackberries, plum, earth, and spice.
- Producers to look for: Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay, Muga Prado Enea, Artadi Viña El Pisón.
3. 1994 – Outstanding
Once upon a time (in a galaxy far, far away), on a "trade" visit to Rioja, I came across a producer called Murua where some amazing wines were on show to the visiting oenophiles. This producer is little known in the UK, but their wines do appear occasionally on the market. A stunning case of 1994 Veguin Reserva was purchased for home consumption. I've still got a bottle or two somewhere in a box under the stairs. I must go and find it... so good with white beans and earthy Spanish chorizo in a rich tomato sauce. Note the traditional wired bottle, rarely seen nowadays. Current vintages of this wine are now sold as a Gran Reserva.
1994 is widely regarded as a near-perfect vintage for Rioja, offering wines with incredible balance and depth. Both Reserva and Gran Reserva wines from this year exhibit a great concentration of fruit, balanced acidity, and elegant tannins, which continue to evolve beautifully over time.
- Wine Characteristics: Dark fruit, tobacco, and hints of earth with soft tannins and long finishes.
- Producers to look for: La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 890, López de Heredia Viña Tondonia, CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva.
4. 1982 – Iconic
If any wine can evoke "fond memories" for me it's got to be the 1982 Faustino I Gran Reserva. Probably my first ever quality Rioja I drank all those years' ago. I think it cost around a tenner a bottle and was widely stocked my many wine merchants and supermarkets of the time. The tacky-looking "dust effect" on the frosted black bottle, along with the gold wire, made it stand out from any other wine on the shelf. I simply had to have one! My memory of it is now very blurry, but it was definitely the bottle that sparked my long-time interest in the wines of the region. Much more recent vintages are available, but you'll be paying £20-£25 a bottle for them, so I think the 2004 Urbina (below) is a better buy from Fraziers!
1982 is another one of Rioja's iconic vintages, remembered for its complexity and grace. These wines have aged exceptionally well, offering a harmonious balance of fruit, earth, and tertiary flavours. The weather conditions were ideal, resulting in high-quality grapes with perfect ripeness.
- Wine Characteristics: Earthy, savoury notes with layers of dark fruits, spice, and elegant tannins.
- Producers to look for: López de Heredia Viña Bosconia, Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay, CVNE Viña Real Gran Reserva.
5. 2016 – Excellent
One of the current crop of exciting new, small winemakers in Rioja, brothers Arturo and Kike de Miguel Blanco produce their single vineyard Artuke La Condenada from a tiny 0.75ha plot on very sandy soil in Banos de Ebro. With most vintages approaching near perfect scores from numerous critics, if you've got a spare £100, it's worth tracking one down. Newer vintages are getting even better, more expensive and harder to find!
2016 is a recent vintage that has been met with widespread acclaim. The growing season was marked by favourable weather, leading to balanced wines with great depth and elegance. Early reports suggest that wines from this vintage will develop beautifully over time.
- Wine Characteristics: Concentrated dark fruit, balanced acidity, and silky tannins. Fresh, structured, and elegant.
- Producers to look for: Telmo Rodríguez Las Beatas, Benjamín Romeo Contador, Artuke La Condenada.
6. 1981 – Classic
Gran Reserva whites are very rare beasts and Lopez de Heredia are the masters of this art with their wine spending decades in barrels before release to the public. Surprisingly, the finished wine doesn't taste of oak, but rather of nuts, mushrooms, forest floor, citrus and honey finishing with a salty, mineral twist. Layered and nuanced, the blend of mostly Viura with a touch of Malvasia often achieves incredibly high rating with the critics. This vintage can still be found, but it's now seriously expensive to obtain a bottle. I have tasted their whites (and the full range of reds) at the bodega's cellar, many years' ago now, and they're ultra traditional in style, which probably won't appeal to those of you who are lovers of fruit-driven wines. It is surprising how fresh these wines taste and they really don't show their age.
1981 is another excellent vintage that produced wines with remarkable ageing potential. Although slightly overshadowed by the legendary 1982, wines from this year have shown excellent evolution, with developed complexity and elegant structure.
- Wine Characteristics: Ripe dark fruit, earthy undertones, spice, and well-integrated tannins.
- Producers to look for: Marqués de Riscal Gran Reserva, La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 890, López de Heredia Viña Tondonia.
7. 2004 – Excellent
Another excellent mature year where you can still find bottles available on the market (including at Frazier's). I've tasted many a fine Rioja from the delicious 2004 vintage and I can confirm that it's a hard one to beat. Now 20 years' old, the wines have developed their full savoury/leathery/dried fruits character beloved of Rioja enthusiasts, worldwide. Stock up whilst you can. Try the excellent Urbina today. Don't blame me if you get hooked on this one!.
"Deep garnet. Aromas of ripe red berries, cherry pit and succulent herbs are complemented by subtle vanilla, tobacco and floral nuances. Juicy and energetic on the palate, offering spice- and smoke-laced red currant and bitter cherry flavors that flesh out and deepen on the back half. Fully mature but by no means fading, showing strong finishing energy and smooth, even tannins framing lingering red fruit and floral notes." 93/100 points Vinous (2021)
2004 is often regarded as a benchmark vintage in the 21st century. The weather was nearly perfect, leading to a balanced crop of grapes that resulted in wines with outstanding structure, richness, and concentration. Many of these wines are just entering their prime drinking window.
- Wine Characteristics: Black fruit, spice, vanilla from oak, and a complex, structured palate with fine tannins.
- Producers to look for: La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904, CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva, Muga Torre Muga.
8. 1978 – Great
I've never had any 1978 Rioja (that I know of), so I cannot comment on the quality of the overall vintage, but this particular Prado Enea from Muga received a 96/100 rating, described as having "...a beautiful nose of black truffle, underbrush, forest floor and an herbal twist with a touch of resin. It's balsamic, heady and intoxicating, developing nuances with time in the glass of brick dust, smoke and mushrooms. The palate is polished, the tannins are fully resolved and the wine has a velvety texture and very pure flavours with great length. Tasty, elegant and harmonious, with great complexity. This is as classical as it gets."
Get the even better 97/100 rated 2016 vintage here. If you're going to drink it now, decant, and let it breathe for a few hours. A perfect Christmas gift for all Rioja lovers!
The 1978 vintage is known for its well-structured and elegant wines that have stood the test of time. While initially overshadowed by other vintages of the era, 1978 has shown excellent longevity, with wines displaying beautifully developed tertiary characteristics.
- Wine Characteristics: Leather, tobacco, dried fruit, with integrated tannins and acidity.
- Producers to look for: López de Heredia Viña Tondonia, Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay, La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 890.
9. 2011 – Very Good
Artadi's El Pison is produced from a single 2.4ha plot planted on limestone soil in 1945 in Laguardia, Rioja Alavesa. Since 2016 the wines are no longer sold under the Rioja banner, but the quality is exceptional. The 2004 vintage achieved a perfect "100 point" score from the Wine Advocate. This opulently textured wine is aged in new French oak barrels and has complex flavours of black cherry, olive, Asian spices, violets, cinnamon, vanilla and balsamic. All of this for a mere £200 a bottle. Artadi now produce a whole range of superb single vineyard wines and their "everyday" village bottling, Vinas de Gain gives a hint of the house style at a much more approachable price. Available here.
The 2011 vintage produced rich, powerful wines with excellent concentration. The warm growing season resulted in ripe, full-bodied wines with lush fruit flavours. Although approachable in their youth, these wines also have the structure to age gracefully.
- Wine Characteristics: Ripe black and red fruit, floral notes, and a full-bodied structure with well-integrated oak.
- Producers to look for: Artadi El Pisón, Benjamín Romeo Contador, Muga Aro.
10. 2019 – Promising
The highly renowned Spanish winemaker, Telmo Rodriguez, along with Pablo Eguzkiza, produce a couple of thousand bottles of this exceptional wine from narrow terraces on just 2.7ha of vineyards in Labastida. Organic/biodynamic farming of old vines (surrounded by fig/olive/peach trees), produces a blend of Tempranillo and Graciano grapes, giving life to Tabuerniga, one of Rioja's greatest wines. The £200 a bottle Las Beatas is considered to be the pinnacle of Telmo's portfolio of wines from all across Spain. I have tried the standard Lanzaga Rioja from the TR stable, but I've never had the chance to try his top end wines. Way out of my price range. Something to look forward to if I start saving now. The phrase, "Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves", springs to mind. Highly relevant in this case, I think.
Though still young, the 2019 vintage is highly regarded for its balanced growing season, leading to well-structured wines with fresh acidity and intense fruit flavours. Early reviews suggest this vintage will be among the best of the decade.
- Wine Characteristics: Vibrant acidity, ripe fruit, and finely grained tannins.
- Producers to look for: Telmo Rodríguez Tabuerniga, CVNE Real de Asúa, Artuke La Condenada.
Exceptional Rioja Vintages of the Last 100 Years (1920–2023)
In addition to the standouts from the last 50 years, certain older vintages remain legendary and continue to be revered for their quality and longevity.
1. 1964 – Legendary
I really enjoy the Gran Reserva wines from Marques de Riscal, but my experience of them only includes the 2001/2004 vintages, both of which were excellent. Complex, mellow wines with great depth and concentration of flavour. I can only try to imagine what the '64 is like. Produced using Tempranillo and Cabernet grapes, "the 1964 myth at its best". Do you know anyone with a spare bottle they'd like to open?
Often regarded as the best Rioja vintage of the 20th century, 1964 produced wines of unmatched depth, complexity, and longevity. Even after several decades, wines from this vintage are still drinking beautifully, offering a profound expression of mature Rioja. The wines are known for their balance between fruit, acidity, and tertiary flavours, making this vintage one of the most collectable.
- Producers to look for: López de Heredia Viña Tondonia, La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904, Marqués de Riscal Gran Reserva.
2. 1952 – Iconic
"In June 1989, they got permission to use the old label again to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first shipment of wine to America, so the wine was again the 1952 Chateau Ygay, with no more mentions about Reserva or anything. The blend was 73% Tempranillo, 13% Mazuelo, 10% Garnacha and 4% Graciano with 13.1% alcohol, 7.1 grams of acidity (tartaric), 0.74 grams of volatile acidity (acetic acid) and a pH of 2.98. It was bottled in January 1986 after spending eight months in tank and 390 months in American oak barrels. They considered 1952 a very good vintage in Rioja and at the Ygay estate, with 424.7 liters of rain. This was released in 1989. There is a slight change here, the grapes felt a little riper, with perhaps more impact from the oak. It has incredible balance and finesse, and it's fresh and tasty with an almost salty finish. This is superb. It's a little thinner than the 1959, the other wine I tasted from that decade" 99/100 points, Wine Advocate (2022).
Luis Gutiérrez tasted this remarkable bottle of "1952 Chateau Ygay" which was aged for an unbelievable 32 years in barrel before release, and it's only just considered ready to drink, with years of life ahead of it. Amazingly, bottles are still available to buy worldwide for around £1000 each.
The 1952 vintage is another classic from the mid-20th century. Known for its elegance and structure, wines from this year have aged remarkably well, displaying a complex array of tertiary flavours like leather, dried fruit, and earth.
- Producers to look for: Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay, López de Heredia Viña Tondonia.
3. 1947 – Exceptional
Vina Tondonia 1947, A collector's jewel. Awarded 97/100 points, Wine Advocate (2022)
The 1947 vintage is remembered for its high quality and incredible longevity. Even today, some bottles from this year are still showing excellent freshness and complexity, a testament to the ageing potential of the best Rioja wines
- Producers to look for: López de Heredia Viña Tondonia, Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay.
4. 1925 – Historic
Murrieta's Castillo Ygay Reserva Especial is one of the most classically styled Rioja of all time and is worth trying from any vintage if you can afford it. Tasted in 2013, nearly ninety years on, the 1925 was still given a 99/100 score (The Wine Cellar Insider) and described as:
"This nose was off charts! Served double blind, I was willing to bet it was a 1947 Right Bank Bordeaux, due to its insane, jammy, liqueur, VA, earth, floral, licorice, truffle, brown sugar, ripe, riper and over ripe berry, plum, fig and raisin profile. It was definitely one of the most unique wines I’ve ever nosed and tasted. On the palate, the wine was erotic, sexy and decadent in all the right ways, finishing with sensuous, pure, cherry liqueur flavours."
Even the latest vintages (including the 2010 #1 "Top 100" Wine Spectator) will set you back around £300 each.
I did taste some Ygay wines alongside Opus One Cabernet, Lafite Rothschild and Mouton Rothschild and Romanee-Conti at my first ever professional trade tasting back in the eighties. What an introduction to the wine trade. I just wish I appreciated what I was tasting at the time. My favourite? Definitely the Romanee-Conti Burgundies. Outstanding, but now costing many thousands of pounds a bottle.
One of the oldest great vintages of Rioja, the 1925 vintage produced wines of immense structure and concentration, which have lasted nearly a century. The wines are now rare and difficult to find, but they remain legendary for their profound complexity and depth.
- Producers to look for: López de Heredia, La Rioja Alta, Marqués de Murrieta.
5. 1934 – Great
In this year, Murrieta's Ygay Reserva Especial was awarded a perfect 100/100 point score by the Wine Advocate.
"Incredible elegance, subtleness and balance, with notes of development but great freshness, old furniture and cherries in liqueur, and it has a silky palate, with resolved tannins and an incredibly long finish"
Only bottled by the bodega after forty years in barrel and a further fifty years maturation in bottle, tasted in 2022
Wow! Some people have all the luck to attend tastings like this.
I have had the pleasure of tasting an ancient 1929 vintage port when I worked in Devon. A leaking bottle in the cellar wine rack, where the cork had broken up, just had to be consumed by all the staff. After all, no point in wasting it.
The 1934 vintage is often overshadowed by other iconic years, but it produced wines with incredible longevity and complexity. Despite its age, wines from 1934 can still offer rich, mature flavours and balanced structure.
- Producers to look for: CVNE Imperial, Marqués de Murrieta.
Conclusion:
The greatest Rioja vintages from both the last 50 and 100 years have produced wines that are revered for their balance, structure, and remarkable ageing potential. While the legendary vintages of 1964 and 2001 stand at the top, many other years have also delivered exceptional wines that are still celebrated today. The combination of perfect weather conditions, meticulous winemaking, and timeless terroir makes these vintages some of the most sought-after wines in the world, offering not just complexity in youth but the ability to evolve gracefully over decades.
I wonder what the next fifty (or a hundred) years will bring for the wines of Rioja?
I'll certainly try and sample as many as possible whenever I get the chance.
Where to begin? I know ... an entry level bottle of "Rioja Tinto" from artisan grower Alegre Valgañon...
My first impression? Lots of ripe young fruit, a lovely salty/mineral finish and a very sensible price!
Looks like 2020 will soon be added to the list of outstanding Rioja vintages.
Drink some great Rioja wines this autumn and put a "happy" smile on your face #FelizRioja